Post by jasperkit on Oct 7, 2010 5:49:21 GMT -5
[/b]JASPER P A W
I’M SPEAKING
I’M THINKING.
YOU’RE TALKING.
ONE THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY SIX.
The large ginger apprentice stood on a bank. Its slopes were rather steep, but that was not what marveled him. The view that the view encompassed with breathtaking. It was of the river and all its glory. The light reflected off its clear water in such a way that it looked as thought StarClan cats with their celestial-outlined forms were wading in the water. This was not his purpose for coming close to the RiverClan border, however. As he opened his mouth, the truth revealed itself. Jasperpaw took a deep breath and tasted the air for signs of prey. Perhaps his second hunt would be as eventful as the first. On his very first hunting trip a few sunrises ago, he’d met with quite the character: a stark white tom by the name of Jerome. The male was injured upon meeting with the novice hunter. At first, the gashes in his side both startled and intrigued Jas. He asked many questions; all of which were answered in due time.
Apparently, a she-cat and her apprentice-sized companion had entered the barn and interrupted the loner’s conversation with his friend Calypso. The pallid feline now had puckering, red scars along is cranium as remembrance of the battle that night. The ThunderClan cat was having a grand time making a new friend until his fellow Clanmate showed up. Nightwhisper was new to Clan life, but had skill. She had been given her warrior name early for it. Jasperpaw had forgotten where she said she was from; somewhere in the mountains were the rumors. The exotic she-cat was quite beautiful, but far too distant for anyone to really get to know her very well. And her accent put many off at first meeting. He recalled the memories of that initial pursuit for prey as he jogged down the hill in search of food again today. He was alone again today, but part of him wished he were with a hunting patrol.
The other members could easily spy his superb hunting skills. And maybe he’d be made a warrior early, too! Jasperpaw grinned as tasted the air again. A cool breeze was blowing the leaves from the trees. Their dazzling colors of red and orange danced and, when the wind died down, they scattered the forest floor with their beauty. The sun was up, but the ground underpaw was hard with the oncoming cold weather. Just as the apprentice was getting ready to close his mouth and give up on hunting in this area, the scent of vole was carried by the wind. A vole! The plump brown creatures were quite good, but Jasperpaw had yet to catch one. Just that mouse from earlier on. His ears flicked up as he traveled, quietly now, down the rise toward the river. Heartbeats later, the quarry was spotted under a root halfway down the mound he was descending. He dropped into a hunter’s crouch.
Jas kept his paws as light as the dancing leaves he’d encountered moments before. “Paws light. Paws light,” he thought with narrowed eyes. Concentrating with all his being, the young cat glided toward his potential victim. He was positive he hadn’t made a sound, but before he had covered half the required distance, something spooked the vole. He panicked as it attempted to abandon its forage for berries. Should he chase it? His heart pounding now, he watched as his prey scurried down the bank. Deciding he could reach it with the right bound, Jasperpaw placed all his strength in his hindlegs. With a grunt of exertion, the tom sprang down the bank toward the river. He felt as though he was flying, but he kept his hard gaze on the fleeing creature. A snarl rose in his throat as he landed on the muddy shores. The animal was now squealing with shrill cries.
The apprentice took little notice of this and pinned it to the ground under his large front paws. “Thank you StarClan,”
[/color] he whispered before ending the victim’s terror with a sharp nip to the neck. It was then the ginger cat realized he was standing in the river. It was freezing, but oddly numbing. It helped him forget of the aching pains in his paws and legs from all the duties he’d preformed over the past few days. With lack of apprentices, ThunderClan’s few were being worked to the bone. Elders complained constantly about joints and wet moss bothering them; how their prey was too stringy. Jasperpaw always seemed to sooth them with a few kind words, but his denmates were two mouse lengths close to hostile. It was rude how they treated the noble and once powerful warriors who had survived all the turmoil of the forest. But this apprentice would not be satisfied with dying as an elder. Apparently, a she-cat and her apprentice-sized companion had entered the barn and interrupted the loner’s conversation with his friend Calypso. The pallid feline now had puckering, red scars along is cranium as remembrance of the battle that night. The ThunderClan cat was having a grand time making a new friend until his fellow Clanmate showed up. Nightwhisper was new to Clan life, but had skill. She had been given her warrior name early for it. Jasperpaw had forgotten where she said she was from; somewhere in the mountains were the rumors. The exotic she-cat was quite beautiful, but far too distant for anyone to really get to know her very well. And her accent put many off at first meeting. He recalled the memories of that initial pursuit for prey as he jogged down the hill in search of food again today. He was alone again today, but part of him wished he were with a hunting patrol.
The other members could easily spy his superb hunting skills. And maybe he’d be made a warrior early, too! Jasperpaw grinned as tasted the air again. A cool breeze was blowing the leaves from the trees. Their dazzling colors of red and orange danced and, when the wind died down, they scattered the forest floor with their beauty. The sun was up, but the ground underpaw was hard with the oncoming cold weather. Just as the apprentice was getting ready to close his mouth and give up on hunting in this area, the scent of vole was carried by the wind. A vole! The plump brown creatures were quite good, but Jasperpaw had yet to catch one. Just that mouse from earlier on. His ears flicked up as he traveled, quietly now, down the rise toward the river. Heartbeats later, the quarry was spotted under a root halfway down the mound he was descending. He dropped into a hunter’s crouch.
Jas kept his paws as light as the dancing leaves he’d encountered moments before. “Paws light. Paws light,” he thought with narrowed eyes. Concentrating with all his being, the young cat glided toward his potential victim. He was positive he hadn’t made a sound, but before he had covered half the required distance, something spooked the vole. He panicked as it attempted to abandon its forage for berries. Should he chase it? His heart pounding now, he watched as his prey scurried down the bank. Deciding he could reach it with the right bound, Jasperpaw placed all his strength in his hindlegs. With a grunt of exertion, the tom sprang down the bank toward the river. He felt as though he was flying, but he kept his hard gaze on the fleeing creature. A snarl rose in his throat as he landed on the muddy shores. The animal was now squealing with shrill cries.
The apprentice took little notice of this and pinned it to the ground under his large front paws. “Thank you StarClan,”
He much preferred the path of a leader; loosing his last life fighting for his Clan. The tom shook his head. He thought about that much too often. What he really needed to focus on was becoming a great warrior. The better he was as a warrior, but the more likely he would receive an apprentice. His thick belly fur was swaying lightly in the current of the river, but he didn’t mind. Leaflight had taken him to river on their first training session and had encouraged him to wade. Of course, he obliged. He was totally stoked to do something unlike his Clanmates. Being different was great! If Briar or Scout showed up right now, they’d probably freak out. And think he was drowning or something. He chuckled and shook his head at the thought. The icy waters were numbing his body a bit too much so he retreated back on the land. He tossed his vole on a sunlit patch of earth and scraped dirt over it.
He had never met another Clan cat before. Perhaps, if he was lucky, a RiverClan cat would show up. How much more fun would it be if it were an apprentice like himself! Jasperpaw grinned and shook his pelt to free it from the cold the water had bestowed upon it. The large tom positioned himself languidly atop a log jutting out over the water. He stared off over the body of water and out into the rival Clan’s territory. Would a cat show up to give him a new friend? And some company, of course. With a yawn, Jas allowed his tail to slip into the current. “Are there any RiverClan cats out?”[/color] He queried quite loudly upon hearing a rustle in the reed. His ears flicked up, but the lazy posture didn’t cease. If someone answered, he’d respond with excess curiosity, but until then, he’d allow the sun and wind to dry his pelt.[/justify] [/blockquote][/blockquote][/center][/size]
